From September 2007:
“Get out of my spot!” This is the message that many students at Chamblee High School have both sent and received. Many students have taken it into their own hands and have left notes and other means of intimidation because they have doubted the administration.
“There has always been an unwritten law about a senior parking lot and a junior parking lot, and people never complained,” said Jordan Lisvosky.
But this year, spots were unassigned on a “first come first serve basis.”
The cause of the problem has been the lack of available spots. With the gravel pit full and multiple parking spots closed due to roof construction, students feel that they do not have any other options.
The new free-for-all method caused problems. During the first week of school, spots were taken and changed all the time. People would come to school early to park in a specific spot, even though they had not parked in it previously.
“Some of the people who parked in my spot don’t even own a spot, and I paid forty dollars for that spot,” explained Lisvosky.
Many students share Lisvosky’s views.
“I think people should be more considerate because taking one spot messes up everyone else’s, and if you didn’t get a spot, man up and deal with it!” said Christoria Hoefer.
Other students have made different claims, and offered some reasonable advice.
“If someone parks in your spot, go to an administrator and tell them. They will then call an officer and have the car moved,” said Brittany Frederick. “Some people are just too lazy to go and ask.”
However, many students have found administrators to be of little help.
“I went and told an administrator too, but he just told me to go and park down in another spot. This just created more problems and people started yelling at me,” said Lisvosky.
This trickle effect has created stress among students, and many do not know what the administration is supposed to do.
“If we get a call about a student having their spot parked in then we leave a notice on their windshield on the first offense, then we tow their car,” said Gregory Farngalo, part of the school’s security staff.
“By mid-October, the rest of the gym side parking should be open, because construction will be finished,” said Principal Rochelle Lowery. “That will open up a lot of other spots.”
With parking spots in high demand and short availability, October may not come soon enough for some students.